Quick answer
A file usually has two kinds of dates. The operating system keeps its own Created and Modified times for the file on your device. Many photos, PDFs, Office documents, and videos also store dates inside the file, such as the time a photo was taken. The first kind often changes when you copy, download, or sync a file. The second kind travels with the file, which is why it is the better place to look for the original creation date.
Jump to the computer-recorded date, the dates stored inside the file, a table of where each file type keeps them, or why the dates can disagree.
Check the date your computer recorded
This date describes the file on this device, not necessarily when the content was first made.
- Windows: right-click the file, choose Properties, and read Created, Modified, and Accessed on the General tab. The Details tab can show dates stored in the file for some file types.
- macOS: select the file in Finder and press Command-I. Under More Info, some file types show a Content created date in addition to the file's Created date.
- macOS Terminal: run stat -f %SB followed by the file name to print the file's creation (birth) time.
- Windows PowerShell: run (Get-Item 'file-name').CreationTime to print the creation time.
Check the dates stored inside the file
The Metadata Viewer reads supported image metadata in your browser without uploading the file or changing it. For a JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, or HEIF photo, look in the Dates group for fields such as Date taken and Date digitized. PNG files can also show a modification time chunk.
- Open the viewer and select the original file, not a screenshot or a copy re-saved by a chat app.
- Read the Dates group first. Date taken is normally the best answer to when a photo was captured.
- Compare it with Date digitized and the file modified date. A large gap can mean the picture was edited or scanned later.
- If no dates appear, the file may never have had them, or they were removed. Do not treat an empty result as proof of when the file was made.
PDFs and Office files have their own read-only checkers: the PDF Metadata Checker shows the PDF creation and modification dates, and the Office Metadata Viewer shows the created and modified properties in DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX files. For video files, use the Video Metadata Checker and look for a creation time if the file contains one.
Where each file type keeps its dates
| File type | Typical date fields | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| JPG, HEIC, HEIF photos | Date taken, Date digitized, file modified date in EXIF; XMP dates when present | Metadata Viewer |
| PNG, WebP | Often none. Some files carry EXIF, XMP, or a PNG modification time | Metadata Viewer |
| CreationDate and ModDate, written by the program that made or changed the PDF | PDF Metadata Checker | |
| DOCX, XLSX, PPTX | Created and Modified document properties | Office Metadata Viewer |
| MP4, MOV, M4A | A creation time inside the container, when the recording device or editor wrote one | Video Metadata Checker, Audio Metadata Viewer |
A file type having a date field does not mean every file of that type has the date filled in.
Why the two dates often disagree
- Copying, downloading, restoring from backup, or syncing a file can give the new copy a new computer-recorded date, depending on the system and app.
- Saving a document again updates its modified time, and an editor may rewrite the dates stored in it.
- Many messaging apps and social platforms re-encode images or strip metadata, so the file you receive may have lost its original dates.
- A screenshot has the time you took the screenshot, not the time of the content it shows.
- A camera clock can be set wrong, and software can edit stored dates. These dates are what the file claims, not independent proof.
Before you share the file
Embedded dates can reveal when a photo was taken, when a document was drafted, or how long a file was edited. If you decide not to share that, scan the file first, then remove the supported date fields with the matching cleaner and scan the downloaded copy again. Photos can also carry location; see how to remove GPS data from a photo, and read what metadata is for the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find when a photo was really taken?
Open the original photo in the Metadata Viewer and read Date taken in the Dates group. It comes from the camera or phone that took the picture, so a copy that was edited or re-saved by another app may no longer have it.
Why is the Created date newer than the Modified date?
That usually means the file was copied or downloaded. The copy received a new Created time on your computer while its Modified time stayed with the content. The embedded dates inside the file are the better guide to its original timing.
Can the creation date of a file be faked?
Yes. Both the computer-recorded dates and the dates stored inside a file can be edited with common software. Use them as clues and compare them with other records when the date matters.
Does the Metadata Viewer upload my file?
No. It reads the file in your browser and does not change it. You can also check this yourself in the browser's Network tab while you scan a file.